Today, if you want to add a device into a networked environment, such as a wireless device to a wireless network, and you are not interested in laying your network open to intruders, it is necessary to delve into the workings of the security systems, such those based on WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy or sometimes Wired Equivalency Protocol), WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access), EAP (extensible authentication protocol), IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)'s 802.11i, and the like.
Unfortunately, establishing proper credentials in both the wireless device and its associated access point can be difficult and error-prone. And, it typically needs to be done manually to prove ownership and/or control over the device during its introduction into the networked environment. That is, requiring otherwise, e.g., to have the device initially operate in the open (as is done in some consumer products), leaves the device vulnerable to compromise before it can be secured, and one installing the device risks it being erroneously associated with an incorrect networked environment.